Another Babri Masjid in making? After court order, Hindus perform midnight puja in basement of Gyanvapi mosque

Following a Varanasi court’s decision permitting Hindus to conduct prayers in the basement of Gyanvapi, the Kashi Vishwanath Trust promptly initiated the rituals. In the early hours of Thursday, puja and aarti were carried out, complying with the court’s directive, as confirmed by Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, representing the Hindu side in the ongoing legal proceedings.

“Shayan arti was performed by a pujari of KVM Trust after placing idols. An Akhand Jyoti was ignited in front of them. Daily Arti for all the deities, including Morning Mangla Arti, Bhog Arti, evening arti, late sunset evening arti, and Shayan arti, will now be a part of the routine,” Jain conveyed in a tweet.

Promptly responding to the district court’s order on Wednesday, authorities made arrangements for Hindus to offer prayers within seven days. As reported by India Today, preparations for the puja began immediately, and the aarti was conducted on the premises under tight security.

The path leading to the ‘Tekhana,’ where the grand Nandi sits in front of the Vishwanath Temple, was opened around 12:00 am on Thursday. Idols discovered during the ASI survey in the Gyanvapi premises were placed, and a prayer, followed by prasad offerings, took place.

Starting Thursday, the Gyanvapi complex authorities will undertake all worship rituals, including Shayan Aarti and Mangal Aarti, along with prayer recitations. The administration handed over the offerings from the worship to the Kashi Vishwanath Trust.

Simultaneously, the Uttar Pradesh Police remained on high alert, conducting patrols to prevent any untoward incidents. Monitoring social media for circulating rumors, they deployed security personnel around the Gyanvapi complex, as shown in a video shared by news agency ANI.